Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1887-02-17
Passed on to the Higher Life


February 9TH 1887 at her home in
Centralia, Mrs. Phoebe A. Darling,
beloved wife Of S. r. Darling, in the
54th year Of her life Mrs. Darling was
born at Wilton, New York, September
End 1888, was married at Monroe, New
York, February 28th 1S49, and has
resided in Centralia during the last
twenty years. She leaves a husband,
one son and two daughters to mourn
their loss
as woman she was lively, fond of
company, and enjoyed the good things
of this life. She was frank and honest
in her intercourse with others, free
from deceit and do uble dealing, unself-
ish and devoted to her friends, always
seeming DESTROYS to make others happy
Her disease seemed to battle the skill
of all of our best physicians. But all
that loving hearts and willing hands
could do for her was done, as the
disease took firm hold and brought
greater suffering upon its victim it
brought forth all that was sweet and
lovable in her character and strength
ened and increased them. She grew in
patience, in gentleness, and in thought
full consideration for those about her.
She has taught her friends lessons of
love and patience which will make them
better and happier in days to come SO
tenderly did the shepherd bear away
this loved one leaving that early morn
ing here so cold and desolate. But as
the gates swing ajar she seemed to
catch glimpse of those who had passed
on before. Her last words were ooh
how they crowd around me-"
Was she transported unto Heaven,
Or had bright angels come to earth
TO rase her to q higher birth;
As if in answer to this thought
In melody these words she caught:
Like angel faces through the room,
God heard thy prayer, we come, we come.
The remarks of Rev. S. Smith pastor
of the Methodist Episcopal church were
founded on Psalm CxvI:15. Precious
in the sight of the Lord is the death of
his saints. In substance as follows: In
the Apocryphal writings of the Wisdom
of Solomon II1-6 verses we find these
sentiments expressed in contrasting the
death of the righteous with that of
the wicked. "But the souls of the
righteous are in the hand of God, and
there shall no torment touch them.
In the sight of the unwise they seem
to die, and their departure is taken for
misery, and their going from us utter
obstruction, but they are in peace For
though they be punished in the sight
of men yet is their hope full of immor-
tally and having been little chastised
they shall be greatly rewarded, for God
proved them and found them worthy
for himself. AS gold in the furnace
hath he tried them and received them
as burnt Offering"
These words are in perfect harmony
with the whole tenor of the inspired
scriptures, and embody the thought [
would present for our comfort and profit
''The blessedness of the christian
in life and death in view of Gods special
interest in them and his delight in the
development of their spiritual life, by
which they become to him peculiar
treasure.
The old philosophers esteemed God
as too great to concern himself or take
interest in individual personal life; but
this blessed revelation, presents him to
us as infinitely beyond their conception
SO that not sparrow can fall wounded
from the house-tOp but it attracts his
notice and eXcites his pity
How apt we are to underestimate the
relation God holds to his people and
his deep interest in them We seldom
rise in our thought much above his
wonderous mercy and compassion in
forgiving love and adopting grace to
the shining and sinful. The higher
and deeper revelations of the divine
nature which glitter and glow with solar
radiance all through the promises of his
blessed word, our spiritual vision fails
to perceive. For want of stronger faith
we miss in great measure the strong
consolation they contain, and dare not
appropriate the fuu blessing the truth
provides.
How seldom do we realize the I'M
fathonable meaning of the words
children of God" the words have
fallen on our ears so often, they have
become so familiar, that they fail to
convey to our thought the close, init
mate, endearing relation indicated
How marvellous and tender are the
terms in which God sets forth this
relation. ''IIis people are his peculiar
treasure. ''He that touches them,
touches the apple of his eye" "He
declares that they are craven on the
palms of his hands," That he can no
more forget them, or be unmindful of
their interests than can the true fond
mother forget her helpless babe
Take another term, ''heirs of God, and
joint heirs with Christ Jesus" Christ is